WO2015057053A1

WO2015057053A1 - Package with pressure venting seal carrying surface profile

Info

Publication number: WO2015057053A1
Application number: PCT/MY2014/050003
Authority: WO
Inventors: Phee BOON EOW; Phee BOON CHEE
Original assignee: Sin Sheng Kuang (M) Sdn Bhd
Priority date: 2013-10-17
Filing date: 2014-10-16
Publication date: 2015-04-23
Also published as: TW201515942A; AU2014334988B2; MY175020A; JP2016534946A; AU2014334988A1; CN105683053A

Abstract

A package (100) capable of venting air pressure comprises a front sheet and a back sheet joined by a plurality of seals (110a, 110b, 110c and 130) to create a storage section (190); and a plurality of hollow air paths (140), arranged in a repetitive fashion to have one air path (140) spaced apart from another at a predetermined distance, defined in at least one of the seals by the sheets to communicate internal air pressure of the storage section (190) to external atmospheric pressure that each air path has an outer opening (147) and inner opening (146), which is located adjacent to one side-edge of the air path substantially offsetting position of the outer opening (147), at both ends respectively communicating with the storage section (190) and the external environment (195); wherein the inner surface of the seal defining at least one air path carries a surface profile (148) substantially reducing generation and/or accumulation of electrostatic charges thereof.

Description

Package With Pressure Venting Seal Carrying Surface Profile

Field Of Invention

The present invention relates to a package that is preferably but by no means limited to being used for storing continuous gas-generating content. The disclosed package is equipped with at least one seal, namely an air venting seal, carrying a plurality of air paths to release air pressure enclosed within the package through air paths fabricated onto the venting seal.

Background of the Invention

A package for storing commodities, especially in large quantities, has to be mechanically strong in order to sustain the contained weight without breakage. The package is preferably made of a material that is impervious to air and/or water, (e.g. plastic) to protect the commodity from contamination or damage caused by any external agent(s). Some of the commodities stored naturally generate gases during the containment of goods (such as grains, flour, coffee beans and other similar commodities) resulting in the fabrication of an in-built mechanism on the packaging to continuously release the gases before the accumulated air pressure damages the package or the contents therein. This invention differs from food packaging used in microwave heating whereby pressure venting is only required during the heating process, wherein the venting mechanisms used in such packages are normally weaker seals which may fail under a sudden increase in the internal air pressure of the packaging, while the gas venting mechanism used in the packaging of gas-generating commodities has to continuously equalize the internal pressure with ambient atmospheric pressure. Consequently, the venting mechanism of commodity packaging is designed to equalize both internal and ambient atmospheric pressure at all times. While retaining the constant air pressure communication, it is important to have such venting mechanisms carrying additional features to keep undesired external environmental agents such as water vapour or insects from entering into and/or infesting the contents the package as this may potentially lead to the decomposition of or having a detrimental effect on the commodity, which is a common problem faced by the packaging industry due to the conventional method of puncturing/perforating holes of 1mm to 1.5mm in diameter on the surface of the packaging. In order to fulfill the abovementioned criteria, various configurations have been adapted in the fabrication of seals with gas venting mechanisms. For example, United States Patent Application No. 5902046 describes a packaging bag with vent lines formed as part of the bag whereby a film layer is incorporated into the vent line to serve as a barrier to prevent leakage of the content while providing fine interstices for gas venting at the same time. Similar technology can be seen in another United States Patent Application No. 7090398 using a pressure-sensitive adhesive to close the venting holes until the internal pressure within the bag exceeds the level the adhesive can sustain, with the pressure-sensitive adhesive re-sealing the venting holes once internal air pressure has equalized with the ambient atmospheric pressure.

In order to efficiently store or transport the packed products, the packages are generally stacked onto one another. The stacking arrangement is generally used to efficiently utilize space during storage or transportation. In this configuration, the overlaying packages will inevitably cause an abrupt increase in pressure to the packages below them. This will likely cause the packages at the bottom to suffer from ruptures and/or breakage if the internal air pressure of the bottom packages is not released in a quick and timely manner. In view of this, the above-mentioned packaging in US Patents No. 5902046 and 7090398 seems inadequate to grant the desired outcome. Further improved packaging can be seen in United States patent application No. 6170985, which attempts to overcome the problem by fabricating a plurality of parallel sealed strips with irregular discontinuities to create a maze-like structure which provides passageways to release the built pressure within the bag. Other configurations of venting mechanisms can be found in European patent publication No. 1055608 and United States patent application No. 4834554, wherein the fabricated seals carry interconnected channels communicating between both the interior and the exterior of the bags to equalize internal pressure with ambient pressure. However, the mentioned packages may fail in attaining the desired purpose under certain circumstances owing to the nature of the plastic sheets and the venting mechanism formed on the packages. Particularly, friction in between moving plastic sheets (caused by the venting air) or movement of gases at the air- venting passageway tends to build up electrostatic charges inside the communicating channels. The presence of these electrostatic charges along the passageway results in the surfaces of the plastic sheets defining the passageway to adhere to each other via electrostatic adhesion. This then causes a partial or complete sealing of the air-venting passageway, thereby defeating the purpose of the communicating channels. Even a partial blockage may result in an abrupt elevation of the internal pressure of the package, especially during the stacking process during storing or transportation, potentially resulting in the rupture and/or breakage of the package owing to an impaired rate of air venting rate during pressure equalization.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention aims to provide a package suitable to be used for storing in general, but not limited to, spontaneous gas-producing commodity. The disclosed invention is equipped with a gas venting mechanism which allows the internal pressure of the package to be equalized with ambient atmospheric pressure.

Another object of the present invention is to disclose a package fabricated with a unique seal configuration capable of venting gas generated from the stored content inside the package while avoiding infiltration of water, water vapour and/or

Further object of the present invention is to offer a gas venting package having air venting pathways incorporated with a specially applied surface profile to substantially reduce the accumulation of electrostatic charges which may result in the failure of the gas venting mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent the infiltration of common insects such as all forms of weevils from the Sitophilus genus into the commodity contained inside the package via the offset openings or plurality of air pathways. The maze-like structure of the air pathways in the present invention serves to confuse and thus prevent the abovementioned insects from reaching the contents of the package. At least one of the preceding objects is met, in whole or in part, by the present invention, in which one of the embodiments of the present invention is a package capable of venting air pressure comprising a front sheet and a back sheet joined by a plurality of seals to create a storage section; and a plurality of hollow air paths, arranged in a repetitive fashion to have one air path spaced apart from another at a predetermined distance, defined in at least one of the seals by the sheets to communicate internal air pressure of the storage section to external atmospheric pressure that each air path has an outer opening and inner opening, which is located adjacent to one side-edge of the air path substantially offsetting position of the outer opening, at both ends respectively communicating with the storage section and the external environment; wherein the inner surface of the seal defining at least one air path carries a surface profile substantially reducing generation and/or accumulation of electrostatic charges, thereby reducing electrostatic adhesion. Accordingly, the inner and outer openings are smaller than the width of the air path.

In another embodiment, the profile brings unevenness onto the inner surface of the seal defining the air path. More preferably, the profile is repetitive protuberances of geometrical shape and in micro-scale. In yet another embodiment, the disclosed package further comprises a sealed strip located on the package joining the front and back sheets which is adjacent to the seal carrying the air paths, at a position farther from the storage section in relation to the seal carrying the air paths, with a hollow passage defined in between the sealed strip and the seal carrying whereby such a hollow passage or gap allows the equalization of internal air pressure via the hollow passage with ambient atmospheric air pressure.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the disclosed package equipped without the sealed strip;

Figure 2 shows one embodiment of the disclosed package equipped with the venting seals together with the sealed strip; Figure 3 shows another arrangement of the venting seal having the sealed blocks arranged in a round configuration;

Figure 4 shows sectional view of the seal carrying one embodiment of the air paths; and

Figure 5 shows different possible surface profiles used in the disclosed package to resist generation and/or accumulation of electrostatic charges at the air paths.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

The most preferred embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the figures, where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. While specific configurations and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the other configurations and arrangements can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

It is important to note that the phrases "outer opening" or "inner opening" respectively refer to openings of an air path in the disclosed package communicating between external atmospheric pressure and the internal air pressure of the storage section of the packaging rather than location of the opening itself on the packaging unless mentioned otherwise.

One embodiment of the present invention, as shown in figure 1, is a package (100) capable of venting air pressure comprising a front sheet and a back sheet joined by a plurality of seals (110a, 110b, 110c and 130) to create a storage section (190); and a plurality of hollow air paths (140), arranged in a repetitive fashion to have one air path (140) spaced apart from another at a predetermined distance, defined in at least one of the seals by the sheets to communicate internal air pressure of the storage section (190) to external atmospheric pressure that each air path has an outer opening (147) and inner opening (146), which is located adjacent to one side-edge of the air path substantially offsetting position of the outer opening (147), at both ends respectively communicating with the storage section (190) and the external environment (195); wherein the inner surface of the seal defining at least one air path carries a surface profile (148) substantially reducing generation and/or accumulation of electrostatic charges thereof. Preferably, the front and back sheets of the disclosed package (100) are produced from pliable plastic material. The pliable plastic material can be polymer or co-polymer of polyethylene, polyprolylene, polyester, polyamides or any derivatives derived thereof. Further, the package (100) may have the front and back sheets made of different polymers in some embodiments.

As in the foregoing, the seals (110a, 110b, 110c and 130) disposed around the edges of the package joining both front and back sheets collectively define the size of the storage section (190) of the disclosed package (100). Preferably, the seal carrying the air paths in the present invention is referred as venting seal (130) and it can be more than one venting seal (130) in the disclosed invention. At least one of its edges, preferably the top edge, is accessible for deposition of the commodity prior to sealing all the edges to finally form a complete package (100). Except through the air paths (140) available at the venting seal (130), the present invention preferably has the rest of the seal (110a, 110b, and 110c) prepared to be impermeable to air or air tight. This feature ensures the gas or air within the storing section is only discharged through the designated air paths (140). As illustrated in the figure 1, sealed block (133) is found in between two spaced air paths (140) on the venting seal (130). The seals (110a, 110b, and 110c) and the sealed blocks (133) on the disclosed package can be prepared through heat sealing or the like. The seals (110a, 110b, and 110c) of the disclosed package are preferably fabricated in an edge-to-edge fashion as illustrated in figure 1 to define a storage section (190) with optimal capacity to accommodate commodity of larger quantities. In another embodiment, the disclosed package (100) may carry reclosable zipper, particularly as the top seal (110a), to facilitate the user to access the stored content in multiple occasion yet substantially protects the stored content.

It is important to be noted that the surface profile (148) may be applied throughout the front and back sheets, especially the inner surfaces opposing one another, in some embodiments. The surface profiles (148) may be made specifically available on the surface defining the air paths only. In more preferable embodiment, the surface profiles may only be printed onto the packaging (back and/or front sheets) along the seal to ease the process in wrapping the commodity and creation of the seals. Particularly, the surface profile (148) of the present invention brings unevenness or creates coarseness onto the inner surface of the seal defining the air path (140). The unevenness or coarseness created on the front and back sheets, especially along the surface defining the air paths (140), substantially reduces generation of electrostatic charges owing to friction in between the moving air and the air path-defining surfaces, or in between the opposing air path-defining surfaces. Movement in between two contacting surface, particularly in between insulating materials such as air and plastics, is known to produce triboelectric effect leading to generation of localized electrostatic charges. It was found by the inventor of the present invention that presence of such coarseness or unevenness substantially resolves the possible packaging ruptures in related to partial or complete blockage in the air paths induced by electrostatic charges. With less electrostatic charges generation, the air paths (140) accumulate less electrostatic charges thereof. Besides introducing unevenness onto the rubbing plastic surfaces, the surface profiles (148) used in the present invention also assist further in reducing electrostatic charges generation through its unique design. Preferably, the surface profile (148) is repetitive protuberances of geometrical shape and in micro-scale or macro-scale as shown in figure 4. The protuberance can be in the form of square, round, triangular and the like without limitation. These protuberances or embossments carried on the surfaces defining the air paths (140) serve as multiple hollow trays or boxes capturing an air layer in the available hollow or indented area. Despite being dried prior to wrapping into the packaging, commodity such as coffee bean or rice gradually releases water vapor into the storage section (190) and the water vapor progressively seeps into the air path (140). The disclosed invention employs the surface profile (148) having the hollow gap to capture and temporarily retain the water vapor in between the surfaces defining the air paths (140). Presence of humid is known to negate electrostatic charge generation. Consequently, the surface profile (148) applied onto the plastic sheets of the present invention ingeniously harvests the water vapor produced from the commodity to improve electrostatic resistance at the air paths (140) besides creating unevenness onto the sheets.

Referring to figure 2, the venting seal (130) preferably forms the bottom of the package (100), but not necessary, provides passage for the gas or air within the storage section (190) to be released into the external environment (195) rather than accumulating within causing increased internal air pressure. Having the air paths (140) located at the bottom of the package (100) avoid air-borne particles from falling into the stored content compared to positioning the venting seal (130) at the top of the package (100). Still, the air paths (130) are positioned at the side edge of the package (100) in other embodiment. More preferably, the disclosed package (100) further comprises a sealed strip (160) located on the package joining the front and back sheets adjacent to the seal (130) carrying the air paths (140), at a position farther from the storage section (190) in relative to the seal (130) carrying the air paths (140), with a hollow passage (165) defined in between the sealed strip (160) and the seal (130) that at least a gap (166) disposed on the sealed strip (160) communicating the hollow passage (165) to external atmospheric air pressure. The presence of the sealed strip (160) provides additional barrier to prevent entry of external agent such as insects into the storage section (190). The number of no n- sealed part or gap (166) found on the sealed strip (160) is much lower than the number of outer openings (147) available at the venting seal (130). Particularly, the number the non-sealed part or gap (166) is, but not limited to, one or two. Thus, direct exposure of the storage content to the external environment is greatly reduced. As illustrated in figure 4, the venting seal (130) of the present invention is composed of a plurality of sealed blocks (133) defining an air path (140) in between two proximate blocks. Preferably, the air path (140) is formed in between two short edges of two neighboring blocks. In line with the foregoing description, the air path (140) in this embodiment has an abrupt lateral expansion in between the outer (147) and inner opening (146), which are respectively located at opposing end of the air path (140) and positioned to offsetting one another along the air path (140). The disclosed invention also places the outer (147) and inner openings (146) each adjacent to the opposing side-edges, each derived from individually different seal block (133) sandwiching the air path (140), of the air path (140) resulting the inner (146) and outer openings (147) facing one another at a substantially diagonal angle. Such arrangement results the air path to adapt a substantially zig-zag conformation. The zig-zag conformation hinders maneuvering of insects like weevil inside the maze-like structure of the air path (140) in the present invention and keeps the stored commodity out of reach from the insects. Shown in figure 1 and 2, the inner (146) and outer openings (147) are smaller than the width of the air path (140). The abrupt expansion immediate to the openings renders the air path (140) adapting a substantial Z-shaped conformation in most of the embodiments but not necessary. Particularly, the presence of the abrupt expansion (143) prevents water from entering the storing section (190) due to capillary effect. Moreover, the air paths (140) formed on the disclosed package are independent from one another without interconnecting channels, while interconnecting channels are commonly found in conventional packaging featuring the venting seal. Presence of interconnecting channels in conventional packages tends to lead the infiltrating water to flow from one spot to another spot of the packaging simultaneous displacing the air out of the packaging through exits available in the interconnected channels. Length of the outer and inner openings on the air path is, but not necessary, substantially similar that the outer (147) and inner openings (146) may be perceived as an outer and inner channels in some embodiments of the present invention.

To further tackle water infiltration, the width of the inner opening (146) is preferably larger than the width of the outer opening (147) in one embodiment. More preferably, the inner opening (146) is 3 to 8 mm in width and the outer opening (147) is 2 to 5 mm wide provided that the inner opening (146) has width not shorter than the outer opening (147). The disclosed packaging has the inner opening (146) tapered towards the outer opening (147) to generate greater localized pressure at the section of the air path (140) with the gradually reduced width. The greater localized pressure at the air paths (140) facilitates better resistance against water infiltration. In the case of storing gas-generating commodity, the additional gases generated from the content begins to continuously move out of the package (100) through the air paths (140) to attain thermodynamic equilibrium in regards to the external atmospheric or ambient pressure. The continuous flow of gas moving through the air paths (140) prevents water from infiltrating through. Moreover, the surface profile, the protuberance or embossments, capturing air layer also aids in preventing waster infiltration through the air paths (140).

Apart from that, the disclosed package may have the venting seal (130) adapted another formation to attain similar object of gas venting. In these embodiments, the seal (130) carrying the air paths (140) forms a circular formation (180) enclosing a through hole (181) at the center that the through hole (181) communicates with external atmospheric pressure. The centrally encompassed through hole serves as a point to connect the air paths (140) to the atmospheric pressure. Venting seal (130) of such conformation may not form the side edge of the disclosed package but rather a stand-alone air venting seal located around the corner of the package (100) or forming only part of the side-edge to communicate the internal pressure with the external atmospheric pressure. The outer openings (147) are located around the center of the circular seal (130) of such embodiment while the inner openings (146) are located at the circumference of the circular seal (130). The through hole (181) allows the outer openings (147) to communicate with the external atmospheric pressure in this embodiment. Shown in figure 3, the sealed blocks (133) defining the air paths (140) can collectively fashion a circular formation enclosing a through hole (181) at the center that the through hole (181) communicates with external atmospheric pressure.

One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments describes above are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A package (100) capable of venting air pressure comprising

a front sheet and a back sheet joined by a plurality of seals (110a, 110b, 110c and 130) to create a storage section (190); and

a plurality of hollow air paths (140), arranged in a repetitive fashion to have one air path (140) spaced apart from another at a predetermined distance, defined in at least one of the seals by the sheets to communicate internal air pressure of the storage section (190) to external atmospheric pressure that each air path has an outer opening (147) and inner opening (146), which is located adjacent to one side-edge of the air path substantially offsetting position of the outer opening (147), at both ends respectively communicating with the storage section (190) and the external environment (195); wherein the inner surface of the seal defining at least one air path carries a surface profile (148) substantially reducing generation and/or accumulation of electrostatic charges thereof.

2. A package (100) of claim 1, wherein the inner opening (146) has width not smaller than the outer opening (147).

3. A package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner (146) and outer openings

(147) are smaller than the width of the air path (140).

4. A package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface profile (148) brings unevenness onto the inner surface of the seal (130) defining the air path (140).

5. A package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface profile (148) is fashion to capture an air layer in between the front and back sheets.

6. A package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface profile is repetitive protuberances of geometrical shape and in micro-scale.

7. A package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the seal (130) carrying the air paths (140) forms the bottom of the package (100).

8. A package (100) of claim 1, wherein the seal (130) carrying the air paths (140) forms a circular formation (180) enclosing a through hole (181) at the center that the through hole (181) communicates with external atmospheric pressure.

9. A package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the front and back sheets are made of pliable plastic material.

10. A package (100) of claim 1 or 2 further comprising a sealed strip (160) located on the package joining the front and back sheets adjacent to the seal (130) carrying the air paths (140), at a position farther from the storage section (190) in relative to the seal (130) carrying the air paths (140), with a hollow passage (165) defined in between the sealed strip (160) and the seal (130) that at least a gap (166) disposed on the sealed strip (160) communicating the hollow passage (165) to external atmospheric air pressure.